"The idea of positive media is enticing: Doomscrolling makes us feel worse, so will watching something uplifting or fun help us feel better? How many of us have watched "Gilmore Girls" (or the like) over and over when stressed or overwhelmed? One of my kids even has a rule with her partner about "Rectangle Time." When stressed, one or the other can call "Rectangle Time!" and be alone with their screens for a minute (or many), without needing to interact, just self-soothing and destressing."
"She and her colleagues took 1,000 U.S. adults and randomly divided them into groups, giving each a five-minute media prescription five days a week for several weeks. These groups were told to watch inspiring, hopeful videos with an underdog; watch funny, slapstick-type videos; watch/listen to a meditation app; watch anything they chose; or watch nothing (a no-intervention control group). Only the watchers of inspiring videos reduced stress as much as the meditation group."
1,000 U.S. adults were randomly assigned to five groups and given five-minute media prescriptions five days per week for several weeks. Groups received inspiring, underdog-focused hopeful videos; funny slapstick clips; a meditation app; permission to watch anything; or no intervention. Only viewers of inspiring, hopeful underdog videos experienced stress reductions comparable to the meditation app. Stress relief occurred across genders and ages, lasted up to ten days after the last exposure, and produced larger benefits for participants with higher baseline stress. Media research often emphasizes harms while emerging evidence shows benefits from positive media.
Read at Psychology Today
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